I think the show has gotten better as the season has progressed and episode 4 (Arachnids in the UK) was the best of the season so far. I mentioned before that I thought the premiere was solid, but not great. The improved is so noticeable that it reinforces my belief that the praise some of the public gave to Jodie Whittaker's first episode was overboard. I want her to succeed, but I want my praise to be honest.

I think we've gotten to know the Companions better and seen them become more differentiated in terms of personality (not just occupation/age/race/gender). I also think the habits/characteristics of the Thirteenth Doctor have developed well, so we get the good mix of continuity and individuality. I like that we've seen two color variations to the shirt (the blue that was in the original costume reveal and the reddish pink), just like Tennant's doctor used to wear a brown suit sometimes and navy blue at other times.

I agree that the accent of the actress playing Rosa Parks was not that great. I looked up the actor who played the bus driver, and he's Canadian. That may be why he seemed to do a better job (at least to me). At times it was a bit preachy, but frankly I think the racism in the era was so extreme that how they actually were might seem like a caricature. Obviously, there are gradations to bigotry; everyone isn't cranked up to ten.

It's funny, I was thinking their research was to watch Eyes On the Prize. It's part the too much run around stretching credibility to the breaking point for me on that one, sorry, it made a bit of a joke of the importance of what Rosa Parks did I thought. I'd be glad if it really did something to educate and sensitize, I felt it was less likely to because of what I see as flaws to it. It could have, should have been better with the quality of acting and visual detail. The bad racists were too cookie cutter, but even there you do get a disgust reaction toward the real situation people lived then, I will credit it for that. The writing was a bit lazy to me... maybe more than a bit. Not exactly a bad job but for the running around competing with the meddler to make it happen, that was cheapening the history like the old one (now missing) where original Doctor William Hartnell supposedly suggests the idea of the wooden horse to get into Troy... or if say someone had talked Ghandi into being strictly non-violent. Not good.

I'm sure there were over-the-top insanely racist people openly behaving menacingly, but that episode of Doctor Who pretty much showed only those kinds of people, and it's just not that simple... anyone like that is so easy to spot as stupid; does anyone learn anything from it? It's the more subtle unspoken racism a majority are cowed into that really keeps it going, fighting over some old flag or statue put up in the '50s by great great grandaughters or some thing (over putting people first) even today that is reality. Caricatures and straw men are toothless and easy to knock down, make righteous Doctor Who speeches against, but it's a disservice to young viewers to show things as simplistically as they did even with the quality nuanced acting. Family and religion also played a big part in keeping stupid racist stuff going, it takes a lot to break from some of that, even just to the degree Elvis did (he famously got his ass chewed off by Ira Louvin once and the way things were wasn't really able to directly confront him). Doctor Who shows things as being a 'just say no' and fight racism but if it were close to that simple there'd be none of the torch marching and all kinds of backwards junk turning up still today and getting a pass somehow from so many. How's the judging and name-calling working when that's what the people you're against do? It's easy when you have a cartoon racist in front of you clearly being a horrible idiot, but reality is still not being able to get a taxi when someone is wearing a suit and tie!

I really hope this makes sense. I'm against all extremes and simplifications. I am for listening and learning. To really teach you usually have to meet someone half way towards wherever they might be, and a kid watching in Tennessee or Alabama isn't going to go from zero to my grandparents were scum (and I wouldn't want them to either), they're going to go to this liberal propaganda tv show is all lies or something perhaps!

Really great episode tonight, theme is one seen before but had enough twists that made it entertaining, liked the sets too and the alien .

The creature reminded me a bit too much of the 'gremlin on the wing' from the Twilight Zone 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'...and the hysterical screaming of one character reminded me a bit of Shatner from that episode!
This story simply had too many of the 'guest characters who act like companions', and squeezed out the actual companions.

The 'pregnancy' subplot was seemingly only there so Ryan and Graham could delve into Ryan's feelings about his father. Otherwise, it was every cliched 'going into labor' scene from every sitcom ever.

I think the hotel was supposed to be Trumpian. It was a way to lampoon Trump indirectly, but have more freedom in the storytelling. By having Trump referred to as a different person, it allowed the show to mock Trump's essence without having to imitate his appearance and persona exactly. Also, it allowed them the freedom to put the character in situations Trump couldn't be (e.g., without a large Secret Security detail). Finally, it gives a pretext to deny it's Trump if Trump fans complain.

I don't know if you were joking, but the actor has a reasonable American accent because he is American. It's Chris Noth, who was one of the cops during early seasons of Law & Order. I know he was also on Sex and the City.

I was pretty sure he was, but I didn't recognize him or anything (I don't watch much TV).     I totally get it, I just worry the political commentary is a bit of a slippery slope.. it can be too much in alot of cases.